OCI extend Olympic cut off date to City Sports

BUPA Cork City Sports has been given a huge boost by the Olympic Council of Ireland’s three-day extension to their cut off point for Athens qualification, which will allow athletes an opportunity to achieve requisite times at the Mardyke on July 3.

City Sports Chairman, Dick Hodgins has promised top class fields, especially in the sprints and 1,500m, where it is likely that we will have athletes chasing times.

"Already we have had numerous inquiries about the event and we will be processing those over the coming months," he said.

"But it is safe to say that we will have quality competition for our athletes on a quality track where they can realistically get an Olympic standard.

"We had been in touch with the OCI seeking an extension which would cover our meeting and they have granted that extension.

"The English AAA will be bringing in a full senior squad for this year's meeting. This year they will be mindful of how our sprinters have been performing in the UK and they will be bringing over some of their stars to compete so a re-match between Paul Brizzel and Darren Campbell is on the cards."

The meeting got another major boost with the announcement that BUPA will sponsor not only this year's meeting but the 2005 meeting as well.

"That will be a very high profile meeting," Dick Hodgins promised. "Next year will be a big one for culture and sport in Cork and the BUPA Cork City Sports will be one of the big features of the European Capital of Culture programme."

Dermot Sherlock, Hon General Secretary of the Olympic Council of Ireland, said yesterday they were delighted to be in a position to extend the Olympic qualification cut off date to Cork City Sports.

"What we have done is we have said that standards achieved at Cork City Sports will be accepted," he said.